Seven Obstruction on one play.
 

In my game last night, bases loaded. Ball hit to the fence, every body scores, every body is obstructed at least once, the batter was obstructed three times, runner from first twice, others just once. Catcher committed four, third base two, and first one.

What? You had TWO chances on EACH runner at 2nd base - once from F4, once from F6 - and couldn't get a single obstruction over there? What - were you watching the ball and not the bases?!?! ;):eek:

Cue the Benny Hill Theme music! :D

How did you have enough arms to signal obstruction for each one? Are you an octopus?

Brings up something I've wondered from watching different actions by very experienced guys...

When you see obstruction, what exactly do you say, and how loudly. I've seen everything from a very loud, "I have obstruction at first!!!" to a soft, "Obstruction" to no sound at all --- all of this from guys with more experience than me.

Secondly, how long to you hold up the arm. I see some hold it until the play ends, others hold it until they get to the base they are going to award, others hold it about 2-3 seconds then drop it.

And since I'm asking, I'll say what I tend to do. In a normal speaking voice I say obstruction ... if I'm responsible for multiple runners at the time, I may point at the base where it happened briefly (tell me if this is horrible!), and then hold the left arm out about 2-3 seconds.

I hold my arm out until the runner gets to where I think they would have gotten had there been no obstruction. I no longer give a verbal call, nor do I point to the location (every body knows where the opstruction occured so why point). The old mechanic for NFHS was to verbalize obstruction, but that changed some years ago.

Both NFHS and ASA call for a verbal and delayed dead ball signal on obstruction. They also state that it should be held long enough to be seen and not held throughout the play.:eek:

That is about what I do, too. My vocal is no where near the level that a called strike three or a sell out vocal would be, but it is at a volume where I am sure the nearest fielder(s) and the runner hear it.